Son #2 and I were heading off to Trader Joe’s today, and we traveled through the Great Swamp to get there. We were only about a mile or two from home when I saw a beautiful blue heron standing in the water on the side of the road. I went back home for my camera, but he was gone by the time I returned. Another mile or so down the road, I came across this guy to the left.
After taking that picture I was set to get back on the road, but Son #2 said “let’s take some more pictures of animals!” I considered my morning’s agenda and almost said “no.” But then it struck me – what’s the point of being a stay-at-home-mom, if I don’t break my own schedule once in a while and do something spontaneous, fun, and educational with the little ones? So, we drove back to the Great Swamp’s entrance, and took a few pictures of the water creatures we could find: mostly frogs and snakes.
This was a fun diversion for a cloudy almost-summer morning. I started thinking when we got back in the car, that I hope we can have a lot of little field trips like this throughout the course of the summer, once Son #1 gets out of school. It’s very easy for a family full of computer geeks to whittle away all of our downtime basking in the blue glow of the monitor. And while there will certainly be ample opportunity for each of us to be alone in that way, I really want to make an effort to plan some together time that takes us out of the house an into someplace interesting. Exploring the swamp is a great, local, spur-of-the-moment activity to keep in mind. I think it will be the first suggestion I put in my little jar of “Summer Adventures.” I don’t have a jar like that yet, actually, but I plan to make one now.
Lisa
What a good idea. I think this is what they mean by “carpe diem”, right? I think its great you live somewhere that you can stumble on a heron or a crane.
Me too. I used to drive through the swamp on Sunday mornings just for fun when I was in college. It was just so peaceful and relaxing. I love that I live right next door to that space now!
[…] in, I’m trying to be more aware of the special Moments that make up my day. Despite the intentions I declared in June, I have spent much of the Summer hunched over. Hunched over my computer, […]